Breech-loading gun.



J. A. RIGKETTS. BBEEGH LOADING GUN. APPLICATION FILED r2123, 190a.

Patented Nov. 8, 1910.

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J. A. RIGKETTS.

BREEGH LOADING GUN. APPLICATION FILED 2113.23, 1909.

Patented Nov. 8,' 1910.

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JOHN A. RIC-KETTS, 0F ITI-IACA, NEW YORK.

BREEGH-LOADING GUN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 8, 1910.

Application filed February 23, 1909. Serial No. 479,563.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. RIOKETTS,

of Ithaca, in the county of Tompkins, in

-mounted upon the lug of the gun barrels,

and at the same time to obviate the use of all pins and screws which usually appear on the side of gun locks of this class of guns. In other words, I have sought to simplify the hammer action and its cocking mechanism by providing a straight drive slide hammer which is cooked by direct contact with the rear end of the fore-end piece, as the gun is opened, and at the same time to provide a simple means for preventing the tensioning of each spring-pressed sear upon the trigger while the other sear is being tripped, thereby equalizing the pull upon the trigger in firing the barrels successively;

Another object is to provide a simple device for preventing double firing due to what is commonly known as the involuntary pull after firing the first barrel, and at the same time to avoid the unreliability of weights, dash pots and similar mecha nisms which are always afiected by varying loads of the gun or by the recoil or position in which the gun is held.

In the drawingsFigure 1 is an elevation partly in section of a portion of a breech loading double barrel shot gun, embodying the various features of my invention, the barrels being closed and one hammer in its firing position. Fig. 3 is a top plan partly in section of the same portions of the gun seen in Fig. 1. Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section, similar to that shown in Fig. 1 except that the gun is open at the breech and the hammers are shown in their cocked position. Fig. 4: is a side elevation partly in section of the detached trigger as raised showing the gyral disk and hammer sears, one of the latter being just tripped. Figs. 5 and 6 are top plan views of the latch mechanism for controlling the firing of the second hammer.

This gun comprises a main frame -l and barrels 2 separable at the breech line 3, the frame 1-- being provided with a trigger plate -4, while the barrels are provided with a fore-end piece 5 secured to the under side thereof in the usual manner, and having its rear end fitted and riding against the curved front end face of the frame -l. The frame l is provided with lengthwise channels or recesses 6-, opening from the under side thereof and extending rearwardly and upwardly at the rear of the breech face 3- for receiving and guiding a pair of sliding hammers -7, having suitable firing pins 8 which ride in apertures 9- extending from the breech face 8 to the chambers The main body of each hammer is disposed at the rear of the breach face, but is provided with a forwardly projecting arm 10 extending some distance beyond the breech face and under the adjacent portion of the barrels '2- and is provided at its forward end with an inclined bearing face 11 which is adapted to be engaged by the rearwardly extending arm 12 on the adjacent end of the fore-end piece 5, so that when the barrel is rocked upon the frame 1 the rear end of an extension 12 of the fore-end piece will ride against the inclined face 11 and thereby impel the hammer 7- rearwardly against the action of a coil spring 14 for the purpose of forcing the hammer to its cocked position, as will be presently described. Each hammer 7 is provided with an independently movable sear --15- pivoted thereto at 16- and extending some distance rearwardly therefrom, the lower edges of said sears being provided with shoulders 17 adapted to interlock with corresponding shoulders -18 on a fixed block 19 which is secured to the trigger plate -4, as best seen in Figs. 1 and 2, to hold the hammers in their cocked positions. The rear ends of the scars -15 are provided with lateral offsets or pins 20 projecting toward each other and adapted to register with suitable recesses or open-sided slots 21 in upwardly projecting ribs 22 of a trigger 23. The hammer actuating springs 14 are interposed between the front end of the block -19- and suitable shoulders 2l on the front ends of the hammer arms -10, said shoulders -24 being formed by cutting away the lower portions of the hammers.

The rear ends of the hammers are guided between the upper face of the block 19 and upper part of the frame 1 at the rear of the breech line 3, while the frontends of the hammers or their extensions 10 are guided between the upper face of the trigger plate l and superposed portion of the frame -ldirectly under the rear ends of the barrels, thereby allowing the hammers to move back and forth in a straight line, and keeping the firing pins in registration with their apertures.

During the breaking of the gun at the breech line, the hammers 7 are forced rearwardly against the action of the springs 14 by the engagement of the fore-end piece extensions 12 with the inclined faces l1 thereby causing the sears 15 to ride along the upper face of the detent block 19 until the sear shoulders 17 automatically drop into interlocking engagement with the shoulders -1S thereby holding the hammers in their cocked positions with the lateral extensions 20 lying directly over and in registration with their respective slots 21 in the trigger block 23, it being understood that the remaining portions of the sears are located just outside of the path of movement of the trigger block, so that unless some sear tripping device is interposed across the slots -21 the trigger 23 may be pulled or elevated without effecting the tripping of either sear because the lateral projections 20 will simply pass into their respective slots 21 which are of sufiicient vertical depth to allow the trigger to be moved to its upward limit without liability of engagement of the bottoms of the slots -2l with the projections 20. 4

The independent tripping of the sears is controlled by a shift block 25 which is' slidably mounted upon the trigger block 23- between the flanges 22- and is provided with upwardly projecting parallel flanges 26 and 27 and a pendent lug 28-, the flanges 26 and -27- being movable into and out of registration with their respective slots 21- in the trigger block 23, while the lug 28 projects downwardly through an elongated slot -29 in said trigger block and is provided with suitable finger pieces, whereby the shift block may be moved by hand, the slot 29 being of suflicient length to permit of such movement. The object of this shift block is to enable the operator to elect at will which barrel shall be fired first, and for this purpose the sear tripping members or flanges 26 and 27 are arranged one in advance of the other but at opposite sides of the shift block with their adjacent ends in substantially the same transverse plane, the left hand member 26 being movable into and out of registration with the left hand slot 2l to control the tripping of the left hand sear and firing of the left hand barrel, while the right hand member --27 is movable into and out of registration with the right hand slot 21 to control the tripping of the right hand sear and firing of the corresponding barrel. For example, if it is desired to fire the left hand barrel first,the shift block 25- is moved by hand to register the left hand member 26- with the adjacent slot 21, by which operation the right hand member 27 is moved out of registration with its corresponding slot 21 and, therefore, when the trigger is pulled or elevated, the left hand sear will be engaged and tripped by the member 26 while the projection 20- of the right hand sear will simply pass into the corresponding slot -21 without effecting its operation, and will, therefore, hold the corresponding hammer in its cocked position. On the other hand if it is desired to fire the right hand barrel first, the shift block -25 is moved by hand to bring the right hand member -27 into registration with the corresponding slot -21 by which operation the left hand member 26 is moved out of registration with its corres onding slot, thereby causing the right han member 27- to trip the corresponding sear, while the left hand sear will simply pass into the corresponding slot as the trigger is pulled or elevated, leaving the left hand sear in position to hold the corresponding hammer in its cocked position. Now in order to fire the other barrel, after the first one has been fired in the manner just described, I have provided a latch bar 30 which co-acts in the manner hereafter described, with a suitable latch plate 31, the'latch bar 30 being slidably mounted within the shift block -25 between the sear tripping members -26 and 2'T and an additional guide flange 32 some distance in front of the sear tripping member 26 while the latch plate -31 is provided with a slotted foot adjustably secured to the triggerplate 4 by suitable clamping means as a set screw 34. The latch plate 81 is, therefore, stationary with the trigger plate --4:- and is provided with escapement shoulders or lugs 36 and 37 arranged one in advance of the other and in planes one above the other; i. 0., the shoulder 36 is disposed in a plane below and at the rear of the shoulder 37 leaving an intervening bar 30 is normally interlocked with the' rear shoulder 36 of the latch plate 31 which temporarily holds it in its position against the action of a retracting spring 4C0-. Now assuming that one of the sear tripping members, as, for example, the right hand member 27, is registered with its corresponding slot 21 -for tripping the right hand sear and firing the corresponding barrel, then by pulling or elevating the trigger 23- the right hand sear will be tripped and the corresponding barrel fired by the sear tripping member -27, and at the same time the latch -30- will be lifted out of holding'engagement with the rear detent 36- and will be drawnforwardly by the spring 40 into engagement with the front detent 37 while the trigger is still elevated.

The latch -30 will be temporarily held in engagement with the front detent 37- during the recoil and rebound or involuntary pull upon the trigger to prevent firing of the second barrel until the pressure of the finger upon the trigger is entirely relieved, which allows a trigger spring 33- or gravity to depress the trigger to its normal position, thereby carrying the latch 30- downwardly with it until said latch is disengaged from the front detent -3'7, whereupon-the spring 4:() draws the latch bar still farther forward and moves a portion llthereof across the slots 21- and directly under the left hand sear which is to be fired. The latch bar 30 is now in its extreme forward position and by pulling or elevating the trigger 28 the portion 4c1 of the latch bar will engage and trip the left hand sear for firing the corresponding barrel. Both barrels are now fired and the hammers may be recocked in the manner previouslydescribed, by simply opening the gun at the breech line, during which operation the latch bar 30 is returned to its operative position in engagement with the rear detent 36 against the action of the spring 40 by simple mechanism presently described. This latch returning mechanism preferably comprises separate sliding bars l0, each slidably mounted" in a recess or channel 6 in one of the hammers -7, the rear end of each bar 10 being offset clownwardly and rearwardly into the plane of movement and adapted to engage the front bar -l0 is moved rearwardly independently of the other against the action of a retracting spring 14 during the cocking of the hammers by the opening of the gun, which causes the rear ends of said bars -10- to engage the front end of the latch bar -30 and to return the latter to its normal'or starting position with the latch 30- in engagement with the rear shoulder 36, the rear portion of the latch bar, upon which the hook or latch is mounted consisting of a spring adapted to yield laterally to allow the rear beveled face of the latch bar to ride against the side edge ofthe rearshoulder 36 as the latch bar is returned. Now, as soon as the gun is closed, causing the depression of the extension 12 of the fore end piece away from the inclined faces ll the bars 10- will be returned to their starting positions, or to their extreme forward movement by the springs -1l, thereby withdrawing the rear ends of said sliding bars some distance away from'the front end of the latch bar, and allowing the latter to be drawn forwardly by the spring l0 as the trigger is pulled in the manner previously described.

Another feature of my invention consists of a fastened trigger 50--, which is pivoted to and recessed in the finger piece of the trigger 23, and is provided with a detent 51- above its pivot, which is normally spring pressed into engagement withthe under side of the trigger plate by spring 52- and best seen in Figs. 2 and 4. The object of this fastened trigger is to prevent an accidental discharge of the gun during the shifting movement of the shift block 25 by means of the finger piece -28. The front end of the trigger is pivoted at 42 to the rear end of the detent block 19- so as to allow the rear end of'the trigger to rock upwardly from its normal position, preferably against the action of a comparatively light spring -33--.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the detents 36 and 37 coacting with the latch 30- serve as an escapement mechanism to cause the sear tripping portion -l1 of the latch bar to move step by step from a point at the rear of the slots 21 and overhanging portions of the sears 15- to a point directly under the rear end of the untripped sear.

Now in order to prevent accidental firing of the second barrel by what is commonly known as the involuntary pull resulting from the instantaneous recoil and rebound of tion 4l of the latch bar under the untripped sear during such recoil and rebound of the gun, or until the danger from involuntary pull has passed. This retarding device consists in this instance of what may be termed as a rotary gyral disk l8 secured to a co-axial pinion l l which, together with the disk, is journaled in a suitable bracket 4l5, the latter being secured to 10 the plate 4.

One of the flanges, as the left hand flange 22 of the trigger 23, is extended rearwardly some distance beyond the opposite fiange and terminates in a tooth segment 4;6- which is concentric with and swings on axis or pivot 42 of the trigger and meshes with the pinion -4 'lhis disk 43 is preferably circular and concentric with its axis, and is preferably made of some non-corrodible substance so as not to deteriorate in use. The disk 43- begins to rotate immediately upon an initial pull upon the trigger in raising the latter to trip the sear of the first barrel to be fired, and

25 the instant the sear is tripped, the upward pull exerted upon the trigger causes the disk to revolve with greater speed so that the trigger is actually carried upward farther than the finger would naturally pull it,

through the medium of the rack and pinion by the momentum of the disk. It is this momentum, together with the inertia of the disk, which retards the too sudden return of the trigger to its normal position after the firing of the first barrel, thereby temporarily holding the latch -30 in engagement with the detent 37 during the recoil and rebound of the gun, and preventing accidental firing of the second barrel by in- 40 voluntary pull and yet allowing the trigger to gradually settle back to its starting position after the danger of involuntary firing of the second barrel has passed, so that the gunner may discharge the second barrel at any time thereafter.

It will be observed upon reference to Fig. 1 that a slight clearance is left between one end of the hammer spring and adjacent abutment therefor, the object of which is to per mit the firing pin to rebound from the cartridge.

hat I claim is 1. In a breech loading double barrel gun, straight drive hammers, one for each barrel,

separate compression springs, one for each hammer, separate sears movable with the hammers, detents for the sears, a single trigger movable independently of the sears, and a sear tripping device slidable lengthwise of 0 the trigger for engaging and tripping the sears.

2. In a breech loading gun, a frame and barrels, sliding hammers, one for each barrel, sears each pivoted to and movable with one of the hammers, a sear block having sear en aging shoulders for engaging the sears ant holding the hammers in their cocked positions, a trigger for tripping the sears, and means for holding the tripped sear out of engagement with the trigger.

3. In a double barrel breech loading gun, a gun frame, barrels rockable on the frame, hammers, one for each barrel, sears on the hammers, detents for the sears, a trigger for tripping the sears, and means for holding the tripped sear out of engagement with the trigger as the latter is pulled.

4. In combination with the hammers, sears and hammer spring of a double barrel gun, detents for the sears to hold the hammers in their cocked positions, a single trigger for both sears, said trigger having slots with which portions of the sears register when the hammers are cooked, and a shift block slidable manually lengthwise of the trigger and having sear tripping shoulders movable into and out of registration with the slots to trip one of the sears independently of the other as the trigger is pulled.

5. In combination with the hammers, sears and hammer springs of a double barrel gun, detents for the sears to hold the hammers in their cocked positions, a single trigger for both sears, said trigger having slots with which portions of the sears register when the hammers are cocked, and a shift block slidable manually lengthwise of the trigger and having sear tripping shoulders movable into and out of registration with the slots to trip one of the sears independently of the other as the trigger is pulled; a latch plate having escapement shoulders and a spring actuated latch-bar slidable on the shift block and successively engaging said shoulders as the trigger is pulled, said latch-bar having a portion thereof movable across the slot of the untripped sear to trip the latter as the trigger is pulled the second time after firing the first barrel.

6. In a single trigger mechanism for double barrel guns, a tooth segment on the trigger, a rotary pinion meshing with said segment and a retarding device actuated by said pinion for retarding the return of the trigger after the firing of one of the barrels.

7. In a single trigger mechanism for double barrel guns, a tooth segment on i the trigger, a rotary pinion meshing with the segment and a circular disk co-axial with the pinion and rotated thereby for retarding 12 the return of the trigger to its normal position after the firing of one of the barrels.

S. In a single trigger double barrel gun,

a pair of sliding hammers, means for cocking the hammers, a fixed block, shoulders on 25 the block, sears pivoted to the hammers and engaging said shoulders to hold the hammers in their cocked positions, a single trigger, means actuated by the trigger for tripping the sears one at a time, and; compression springs between the block and ham- I by for tripping the sears one at a time as 10 mers for forcing said hammers to their firing the trigger is pulled.

positions.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set 9. In a single trigger double barrel breech my hand this 15th day of February, 1909.

loading gun, a pair of sliding hammers, means including sears pivoted to the hammers and movable therewith for holding the latter in their cocked positions, a single trigger, and movable means actuated there- JOHN A. RIGKETTS.

Witnesses:

GEO. K. PARK, M. D. SHAW. 

